NP Digital acquires agency REBL House to combine creative and data capabilities

“The marketing landscape is shifting in response to trends in AI, reduced tracking, constrained resources and generational differences,” said Mike Gullaksen, CEO of NP Digital. “REBL’s creative capabilities balances the analytical approach to performance NP Digital is known for, and allows us to get ahead of market shifts by bringing full-service, end-to-end marketing strategies to more brands across the globe.”

Alex Toulch, founder of REBL House, will remain CEO of the creative agency and transition to executive creative director focusing on creative strategies that bolster performance and messaging across channels.

REBL House consists of 13 creative brand strategists that have done more than 1,000 projects for clients, including Hello Fresh, Body Armor and Marriott, offering services from influencer marketing to audio production. With the expansion, NP Digital will add to its 19 offices that now total more than 750 employees and 500 clients worldwide.

The new structure hopes to attract a more Gen Z audience and distinguish media from the “overuse of AI” as content creators experiment with generative AI tools, Toulch added.

Much like these agencies, others from Crossmedia to Left Off Madison have combined or been interested in joining forces with a creative counterpart, with some focused on digital and influencer marketing specialties. In the case of agency Media Culture, it recently expanded its business development department headed by a new chief growth officer as it aims to “fortify internal capabilities, specifically in inbound marketing” in an increasingly competitive media landscape, said Christena Garduno, CEO of Media Culture.

Brownstein Group, a network of independent marketing agencies, including Brownstein advertising and, most recently, Poster Child (focused on influencer marketing), has also been expanding its media prowess through influencer marketing services. James Brownstein, general manager of Poster Child, said the influencer agency started last year as more clients wanted these in-house services.

Like its fellow agencies, Poster Child aims to perfect both the art and science of media with its cultural and marketing expertise – and to ultimately give brands the “most optimized strategy for conversion,” Brownstein said.